Today Café Clock’s storytelling program postponed its usually scheduled storytelling practice to travel to Douar Ladaam, 20 minutes outside of Marrakech, so that the storytellers could volunteer their time with the girls of Project Soar. Project Soar empowers young girls living near Peacock Pavilions through art and sports activity. Today’s activity was storytelling!

After the girls introduced themselves and went through a series of affirmations (I am strong!), one of our apprentices, Malika spoke to them about the importance of keeping Morocco’s storytelling tradition alive. Malika kept her audience enrapt, as she shared with them a fable about a clever woman, who proved that women are trickier than men. Malika, herself, is one of Morocco’s first female storytellers and hoped to impart upon workshop participants the message that they too can learn the traditional craft.

Once the story concluded, Malika and her colleagues, Jawad and Mehdi broke the group up into pairs to give the Project Soar girls a chance to weave their own tales. We heard many creative stories and at the end several courageous girls shared their stories with the larger group. Finally, Lhaj Ahmed Ezzarghani wove his own narrative for the group. Lhaj and the apprentices agreed that all of the young ladies had the makings of creative storytellers and all hope to work with these budding talents in the future!

Cafe Clock Marrakech\’s grand opening, last night, featured Traditional al-Halqa Storytelling, gnawa music and almond milkshakes for all. Clock\’s traditional al-Halqa storytelling was inaugurated by Richard Hamilton, author of The Last Storytellers, who explained to a crowded house that \”the brain naturally seeks out the narrative.\” The star of the evening, Ahmed Ezzarghani–a retired storyteller from Jema el-Fna\’a square and who has told traditional Moroccan tales for decades–regaled the half-Moroccan and half-foreign crowd with a story told in Arabic. He was preceded by three young apprentices who told their tales beautifully in English and who have been diligently training with the master for the past two months in preparation for this event. Malika\’s tale reminded the audience that women are indeed trickier than men; Oussama shared the fable in which a monster comes out of a wall to make magical fish come alive again; and Sara wove a story of a gareb, or water-seller, who dodged a certain death because of his faith in God. Finally, the master storyteller Ahmed told a final story to the delight of the crowd. The storytelling will be a weekly occurrence. Join us next Thursday from 5-7 p.m. to hear all new fables in English and in Arabic.

The storytelling is only one of two events Clock is presenting in partnership with the Marrakech Biennale. The other, Sunday Sunset Concerts, begins on Sunday, March 2nd from 4-6 p.m. While a Gnawa band performs, Casablanca Graffiti artist, Rebel Spirit will adorn an outside wall with an original creation. This art and music performance is presented with Clock by the Yakin & Boaz Gallery of Casablanca.

Owner Mike Richardson brings Cafe Clock to the Marrakech Kasbah after six years of cross-cultural activities and delicious cafe food in the heart of the Fez Medina. Clock \’Kech brings a familiar menu, including it\’s renowned camel burger, breakfast served all day, numerous vegetarian options, and almond milkshakes. Marrakshis and foreign guest alike will have the opportunity to participate in cooking school, Sunday Sunset concerts, traditional al-Halqa storytelling, yoga, belly dance and much much more. To view the detailed schedule click here.

Cafe Clock\’s opening week schedule is Wednesday to Sunday from noon to 10 p.m. We look forward to your visit!

Sara Mouhi is a 24-year-old teacher-trainee at the American Language Center and a graduate of the English program at Cadi Ayyad University. Her students say that she can teach vocabulary without words by relying upon her expressive gesticulation.

Cafe Clock: What does it mean to you to be among the first female storytellers in Moroccan history?

Sara: Maybe this is how the women taxi drivers feel.

Cafe Clock: Is it hard to translate the humor of Moroccan stories to the English language?

Sara: If I’m telling an American joke to Americans they will laugh, but if I translate that joke to tell it to Moroccans, they won’t laugh. It’s the same if I tell a Moroccan joke to Americans—sometimes humor doesn’t translate. Language is so important to humor—if the words you chose aren’t funny, it doesn’t matter whether the person is funny or not. The other storytellers and I are working hard to find the right way to tell our stories so that English-speakers will find them funny.

Cafe Clock: Can you explain the way the stories impact you?

Sara: The stories are really effective in teaching morals. When I think about the moral to a particular story, I get flashbacks to my life and the experiences related to the moral. I remember a person who envied me who had problems because of his envy and realize it’s like the character in the story who falls in a trap because of his envy.

Cafe Clock: What’s your goal as a storyteller?

Sara: What’s really nice about the stories is that they make you go back in time. The storyteller creates a virtual world. While you listen to the story you get transported to another world. I want the audience to feel as though they’re a part of the experience.

Malika Ben Allal is 22 years old and in her second year studying English at Caddi Ayyad University.

Cafe Clock: What made you want to join the storytelling program?

Malika: I wanted to improve my English and learn the old Moroccan stories.

Cafe Clock: Why are you interested in learning these stories?

Malika: The stories are so interesting! When I hear them I feel like watching a movie. The best part is that I’m able to improve my English by translating the stories. It’s a wonderful mental challenge to translate the stories. The stories help you to be wise by giving examples of other people’s experience. I don’t want to make the mistakes that the people in the stories make. I will be more careful about what I do.

Cafe Clock: What is it like to work with Haj [our master storyteller]?

Malika: It’s so much fun. The way he tells the stories makes me feel as though he’s my grandfather or someone like that. I feel like I’m with my family when I’m working with the team. It puts me in a good mood. Haj tells us really interesting Moroccan stories. Normally, you have to pay to learn to listen to the stories. And, he lets us take notes—normally you couldn’t do that at the Halqa circle. He tells us secrets about human nature. The stories show us how society thinks about women. He tells us how men think about women and how they used to marry many women, but didn’t value them. The stories give us lessons indirectly.

Oussama Ben is a 22 year old graduate of Cadi Ayyad University’s physics program.

Cafe Clock: Is there a difference between the way that men and women tell these stories?

Oussama: I think it’s the same as when men tell the stories. There’s no difference. It’s the same skills and the same way of telling stories. Maybe we can find women who are better at telling the stories than men, but this is the first time that women have the opportunity to learn the stories.

Cafe Clock: Do you have memories of listening to the storytellers in Jema el-Fna’a?

Oussama: I didn’t go to Jema el-Fna’a square to listen to the storytellers because I’m not the kind of person with the patience to stand and listen. It’s the first time for me to hear most of the stories. But, my mom and aunt told me that when I was six years old I would invent my own stories. They say that I was a good storyteller. But, now my imagination isn’t the same… maybe education limits education.

Cafe Clock: Do you think you experience the stories differently than someone who heard them as a child?

Oussama: The stories are interesting. But, still I’m not a patient person. I can’t wait for a person to tell me a story–I prefer the effect of movies. The first time I tell a story, I expect that the audience might get bored like I do, which is why I’m working really hard to develop my technique for engaging and entertaining the audience.

The Moroccan tradition of hikayat, or storytelling, dates back almost 1,000 years. Some stories were recorded and other stories are passed orally. Today this form of entertainment in danger of becoming extinct. Previously, hikayat was found in cities throughout Morocco, but today Marrakech’s Jema el-Fna’a square is one of the last place to find the old stories and there are fewer and fewer storytellers. Cafe Clock offers a new venue and an opportunity for young Moroccans to train in this ancient art. Join us for live storytelling on Mondays and Thursdays at Cafe Clock Marrakech or contact us for a private storytelling performance at your riad or venue.

Private storytelling can be arranged

Master storyteller Ahmed Ezzarghani began collecting Morocco’s traditional fables during his youth a and 50 years later he is committed to passing Morocco’s oral tradition to the next generation. Today, Haj Ahmed trains a group of youth apprentices so that they may keep their rich Moroccan heritage alive.

Every Monday and Thursday at 7 pm, Haj Ahmed and his apprentices perform tales in Arabic and in English. The apprentices are volunteers dedicated to traditional folklore and whom are working hard to improve their English with every story they weave.

Connect With The Clock

Concerts at Clock represent traditional and modern or blend old and new for a funky hybrid that will have you dancing along side our waitstaff! Four nights of music each week promise something for everyone. Sunday Sunset Concerts feature Gnawa music every week starting at around 6 p.m. Wednesday nights are an opportunity for visitors…

The Moroccan tradition of hikayat, or storytelling, dates back almost 1,000 years. Some stories were recorded and other stories are passed orally. Today this form of entertainment in danger of becoming extinct. Previously, hikayat was found in cities throughout Morocco, but today Marrakech’s Jema el-Fna’a square is one of the last place to find the old stories…

To join a course or organize a private course, please contact marrakech@cafeclock.com or enquire at Cafe Clock. Our Clock chefs will share with you the traditional techniques and recipes that they learned from their mothers and grandmothers. This course begins with a shopping tour of the local souk. Gain firsthand experience in a Moroccan kitchen…

A Marrakshi on staff will teach you all you need to know about local traditions. Dive into Moroccan culture through a 90-minute workshop with a member of the Clock Crew, who will teach you Moroccan phrases, common gestures, mealtime etiquette and religious customs. This dynamic course will be tailored to your particular interests. ‘Kech Download offers…